Times had changed
by LittleTinSoldier
Summary: Times had changed Gwaine reflected. Since magic had been welcomed back into Camelot things had changed for all of them, mostly for the better. But still having the knights at council meetings was in his opinion a bit much. Chapter two up, a tag scene I thought might be fun to write. Merlin whump.
1. Chapter 1

**Authors note**

**So this is my first fic that I have had the guts to post. I have not yet found a beta, so please just stick to constructive criticism. If anyone has any suggestions then please tell me because I know it's not perfect but I had fun writing it and I do want everyone to have just as much fun reading it.**

**LittleTinSoldier**

**Times had changed**

Times had changed Gwaine reflected. Since magic had been welcomed back into Camelot things had changed for all of them, mostly for the better. But as he sat in the council chambers listening to another incredibly boring argument between the council members Gwaine realised that some things were better the way they were, the knights not being involved in council meetings for example. Because of all things to do, being stuck in a stuffy room listening to fat fools used to getting their own way arguing with their king was on the bottom of Gwaines to do list. And they were arguing over wheat harvests of all things, of all the boring topics in the world they were arguing about wheat harvests, a new tavern would much rather suit Gwaines needs, since the old one might barely survive another fight.

Looking around at the other knights it seemed they were having just as much fun as Gwaine himself, Elion was sitting back in his chair trying to avoid eye contact with any of the council members and trying but failing to suppress numerous yawns. Leon was more used to these meetings then the others but even he was lounging back trying not to get involved. Percival was strangely enough the only one, who was looking slightly interested, but then he looked at Gwaine and winked and the illusion faded so Gwaine could see Percival was as bored as the rest of them and also finding it slightly amusing.

Gwaine tried to make eye contact with Merlin, but the newly accounted court magician choose instead to exchange an amused glance with Arthur who was sitting in his thrown trying to settle the council members down, but any hopes he had of succeeding in his goal were shot down quickly as the topic changed once again to the upcoming marriage of a noble boy and a druid girl, how the topic could have been changed from wheat harvests to a marriage that some people were obviously not yet ready to agree to Gwaine had no idea.

Gwaine sighed and noticed in his peripheral vision the others doing the same. Things had not been sweet when Arthur had agreed to allow druids to live in Camelot and there had almost been blows when he had permitted the marriage of one with the son of a noble.

Times had certainly changed, but there were still those in Camelot who were opposed to magic and most of all to Merlin. Arthur had almost thrown a fit when Merlin had arrived late to a council meeting one day with a black eye. Merlin had of course acted like nothing had happened but when he realised that all the glances were on him most with worried expressions he had quickly glanced at his reflection and the black eye had disappeared, but even that hadn't stopped the onslaught that came after.

Gwaine snapped back into attention when Lord Wellington started shouting,

"I will not stand by and let a noble marry that...that ambition of nature."

Arthur had been trying to maintain a calm head during the conversation but at Lord Wellingtons remark he seemed to begin to lose control whether because of the insult to druids or his best friend, Gwaine didn't want to know. Arthur opened his mouth to speak he was quickly interrupted by Merlin who cut in smoothly and without anger.

"We are not ambitions of nature, sire simple different to you. Surly you would not deny the right of marriage of a noble to girl from Cenrid's land."

Lord Wellington turned and glared at Merlin who looked back with an innocent look on his face but if anything this seemed to insult Lord Wellington even more and he turned a worrying shade of purple.

"You would say that though wouldn't you, sorcerer."

Lord Wellington seemed to almost spit the word in merlins face but the warlock seemed unworried by the lord's behaviour and responded with a cheeky grin.

"Well yes I would, as I think I have just proved by saying it... sire"

Lord Wellington turned an even darker shade of purple after merlins comment and Arthur began to intervene but the lord cut him off,

"You stupid fool, what right have you to sit here at our table. You should be out feeding the pigs with the other servants not disgracing our chamber with your filth"

Gwaines anger swelled and he found that he along with the other knights was glaring at Lord Wellington fiercely. None of their glares though could come close to the look on Arthurs face as he pounded his fist onto the table and after sending an icy look at lord wellington -who was looking uneasy under so many angry stares- declared the council meeting to be continued later in the week and dismissed the lords who hurried out of the room until only the knights, Arthur and Merlin were left sitting apart at the long tables.

Arthur was the first to break the silence

"I don't know how you cope Merlin, I honestly don't. I was ready to slap that guy into his place."

The king looked at his court sorcerer who grinned back at him, an easy grin which could very easily have hidden any multitude of feelings the warlock didn't want to share with them. Gwaine sighed and thought once again of how uneasy Merlin was sharing any feelings with them, after remaining hidden for such a long time, unable to show who he really was to his closest friends, Merlin was not quite ready to open up to them yet, a fact that still annoyed Arthur greatly.

Arthur seemed to realise this and seemed to bite back a remark which would have earned a cheeky but in honest remark from his friend, and would have gotten them nowhere. Finally Merlin spoke

"Is it okay if I resume my duties, sire?"

He asked standing up and when Arthur nodded walked out of the room leaving the knights and Arthur sitting in silence as, which was as Gwaine reflected was the outcome of most council meetings these days.

Fin


	2. Black eye

**This is a tag to times had changed, the part that mentioned Merlin arriving late with a black eye. Again I know its not perfect but I do try, and if you have any suggestions or constructive criticism then please tell me.**

**Black eye**

Arthur sighed and lounged back further into his thrown ignoring the disapproving glances he got from Gaius and Lord Geoffrey. He was being forced to sit through another dull council meeting and so was stuck in the stuffy chamber listening to the council members argue about wheat harvests or something , to be fair Arthur wasn't really paying attention.

Suddenly Arthur realised that something was missing, where was that annoying sorcerer he kept around to stop him from falling asleep. Certainly by now Merlin would have made a statement by now calling the council pigs or something. Arthur wasn't sure whether to be annoyed or amazed that Merlin had managed to skip the council meeting and that he had got it by Gaius. The last time the warlock had tried to miss a meeting Gaius had dragged him to the chambers by his ear.

The quiet opening and closing of the chamber door brought Arthur out of his rather amusing memories and he glanced up to see none other than Merlin himself quietly entering to take his place at the long tables. Arthur continued to watch his friend as he walked silently up the side of the hall, trying to avoid being noticed but he had clearly been seen by the knights and Gaius who was glancing at his young ward with a mixture of relief and worry. Arthur followed Gaius's gaze and found himself drawn to the right side of his friend's face where a black bruise was beginning to bloom round his eye.

Arthur clenched his right fist so hard his palm began to hurt as he watched his best friend take his seat, ignoring the angry and curious glances he was receiving from those who had noticed his entrance, and his black eye. Not one of the council members noticed or cared about Merlins arrival and continued to argue about conditions in the lower town, and for some reason this made Arthur angrier.

He looked from the lords to Merlin who at last seemed to have noticed the odd looks he was getting and had created a small reflective surface in which he was looking at himself with an expression of worry and annoyance. Within seconds the black eye disappeared and Merlin glanced quickly at Arthur noticed the look on his face and with a sign resigned to his fate.

The council meeting had ended without much drama; a decision had eventually been made to build a new tavern much to Gwaines delight as the old one in his opinion wouldn't last another fight. Arthur had managed to keep a calm head through most of the session, nodding when required and generally trying to look like he was involved, but his thoughts had continually drifted back to Merlin. The warlock had continued to act as though nothing was the matter through to meeting but the slight tightness around his eyes and his restricted movement showed Arthur he was in pain, pain he shouldn't be in.

Eventually the meeting had grinded to an end and Arthur, the knights Merlin and the council members had all dwindled out of the hall some more quickly than others. Arthur looked around, vainly trying to see his friend but there were no skinny warlocks walking down the corridor. Arthur turned to the left planning on going to Gaius's chambers to find Merlin but then he caught the slightest flash of red fabric darting away towards the right. Arthur immediately turned and made a grab for the red fabric causing it to jerk to a stop and the warlock who was wearing it come suddenly visible clutching his necktie. Arthur immediately grabbed Merlins arm and began to drag him towards Gaius's rooms ignoring the multiple protests and excuses his friend threw at him before finally resigning to the fact he was going to talk to Arthur and Gaius whether he wanted to or not.

Arthur finally arrived at Gaius's chambers with Merlin close in tow. Barging through the door Arthur looked around for the physician and found him hurrying towards him from the small room Merlin slept in, Gaius appeared to be carrying clothes and muttering under his breath but tried to hide the slightly blood spotted shirt when he saw Arthur standing in his doorway with his ward in tow. Arthur gave the physician a searching glance before walking further in pulling Merlin in behind him. In his peripheral vision he saw that Merlin was looking worried but figured now he had pulled him up seven flights of stairs he better say something. Slowly Arthur turned to his friend and looked him in the eyes before saying softly

"Merlin who gave you a black eye"

Merlin stared at him for a while before laughing loudly and replying,

"That's all you wanted to know, I ran into a tree gathering herbs for Gaius that's also why I was late, lost track of time."

Merlin was still grinning like a fool and for a moment Arthur considered believing his story, but then he saw the small glimpse of pain in merlins eye and knew that no run in with a tree could cause as much pain as Merlin appeared to be in and blood, yes there was no way one small tree could injure a person that much, even if that person was Merlin. Clearing his throat Arthur turned to look at Gaius before realising that trying to get any information out of the stubborn physician was like trying to get Gwaine to stop drinking. The physician was refusing to catch his eye, instead looking at them both with an annoyed look on his face and then without warning started to talk.

"He was attacked walking through the lower town, the guards intervened before it got serious and the people in questions are waiting in the dungeons for you sire."

Arthur sent Gaius a grateful look and turned to look at his manservant who was avoiding his eye, instead fiddling with the necktie around his neck in a surprisingly annoying way. Arthur concentrated on containing his anger before speaking in a remarkably gentle voice,

"And when were you going to tell me this Merlin"

Merlin looked up with a surprisingly calm look on his face

"I didn't think it needed telling I'm not going to run to you every time someone insults me Arthur and we were in the middle of a council meeting."

Part of Arthur felt a small amount of annoyance and how much sense merlins arguments made, but he wasn't going to let it go. Lowering his voice to below the hearing range of the physician standing behind him Arthur looked Merlin in the eye and said softly

"You don't have to run to anyone Merlin, but you do have to tell me, your court sorcerer and you deserve to be treated with respect."

Merlin's eyes glinted with a sort of amazement and he nodded, Arthur turned back to Gaius who nodded and Arthur nodded back before turning again and after exchanging a quick glance with Merlin left the room.

Arthur walked calmly down the halls of Camelot in the direction of the dungeons; there were some people from the lower town who greatly required his attention.

Fin


End file.
